Burr's pandemic bill

Sen. Richard Burr has introduced a bill to make sure the country is prepared to respond to a range of medical and public health emergencies in a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack.



Burr, along with Sens. Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, Mike Enzi, a Republican from Wyoming, and Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, introduced a bill reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act initially passed five years ago.

"The threats facing our nation are serious, and we must address them accordingly," Burr said in a statement. "The American people expect us to do all that we can to prevent an attack and, if one should occur, be fully prepared to respond, including having safe and effective medical countermeasures readily available."

The program is the country's effort to prepare for the unthinkable, including stockpiling vaccines in case of a biological attack.

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